It seems as a regular feature in Del Norte County we cannot elect representatives with any sort of skill level to employ common sense and work towards improving the lives of those who are their respective constituents. There is an appalling sense the five who claim to be representative of the needs of County residents, our elected Supervisors, have no interest in preforming other than for the sake of the County’s unelected.In this case, I am not referring to those whose job descriptions have no fancy titles before their names. Titles which are often meaningless as to what exactly those unelected bureaucrats do for their often-breath-taking salaries. #placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');These are the six-figure salaried bureaucrats whose fingerprints are all over nearly every item that appears on the Board of Supervisors(BOS) agenda every time the BOS meets. No serious questions leading to clarity, or efforts towards an unambiguous portrait of what is being voted almost universally 4-0, “traveling man” Supervisor Howard on the road again. The BOS can only charitably be referred to as the “governing” body in Del Norte County.Most recently, the May 27th BOS meeting consisted of twenty-two items on the consent agenda passed 4-0 with near indifference to any public comment or participation by the public. Many of the items ripe for movement to the general business section of the Board’s business where at least some discussion might occur. Ten minutes of the Board’s brutal and tiring agenda to consider sixty five percent of the entire body of work. Following the exhausting trial of “rubber stamping” County bureaucrat demands on the Consent Agenda, the five “Easter Island Statues,” our representatives, had to contend with two public comments, neither of which required ear plugs to be removed, a ceremonial presentation, such a trial, a report from Area One Aging, and the most contentious item on the whole agenda $1,500 to be spent on an additional non maintained county road.The contentious issue, whether or not county money would be spent on a nearby private road, produced a brief but lively exchange bordering on the ridiculous. The $1500 pile of rock must be deposited in such a manner not a single stone should violate county policy of no maintenance by the county of “private road.” Easter Island Supervisor “Consolation Prize,” Valerie Starkey looking after the public “pocketbook” unless it is a government funded junket to Philly was, “On the job”. Well, you have to believe two Easter Island Statues are always better than one when it comes to traveling across the Country on the taxpayer’s dime. Think of all the “miles” to be accumulated.Despite all the frowning faces from the Consolation Prize, she gritted it out with an AYE vote to continue the expected 4-0 vote on issues. Fellowship with other board members won out over standing on principal. Was that a stiff upper lip from the Consolation Prize or conceding defeat over her concerns rather than rocking the boat of uniformity? Pretty weak.General business trundled on with two hires at step C, a general practice for new hires at Health and Human Services. After all, DHHS cannot seem to find anyone to work at the level new hires used to start. Got to make sure employees who found it necessary to work up to step C, often several years with a level of experience acquired, should be able to feel a level of disrespect shown to them by the new hiring practices. What a considerate BOS! No worries about employee retention when the new policy is waved in front of those who have been employed for a long while. Since the Board has strict instructions to economize from County Counsel, a quick dash through spending $910,449, most connected to DHHS, we have arrived at ADJOURNMENT. What an effort at being completely irrelevant towards governing Del Norte County. Clearly five stones from Easter Island could have accomplished just as much, and besides we wouldn’t have to pay the “Stones”. The maintenance would be near zero. More savings to the taxpayer yet.Well, there you have it. Is this the kind of governing body we, the citizens of Del Norte County, truly desire to represent us? While we may be out of luck to ask for our money back, these five slackers can be replaced. Is it in the DNA of Del Norte County to find new leadership who will work for the benefit of all who live in the County, or is the spirit of citizens who led to resurgence of the County after the tidal wave of 1964 Gone with the Wind? googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });